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The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

I should also mention that most schools have a way for you to send optional rec letters beyond what is required... That’s fine if the extra work will help your cause, but there’s a saying among AOs, “the thicker the file, the thicker the applicant."

A primer on letters of recommendation

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief August 2, 2021

Let’s talk about letters of recommendation, AKA the things that brought out several of my biggest fears: asking for favors and people talking about me behind my back. I’m going to compartmentalize...

You could pour your time into additional test prep, or you could devote that energy to polishing the rest of your application, writing your essays, etc. In my opinion, the latter is likely to yield a higher return on investment.

A rundown on standardized test scores

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief August 2, 2021

Let’s talk about standardized tests. In pop culture and general American discourse, they’re one of the most prominent symbols for the college admissions process. This is understandable: the SAT and...

There are hundreds of thousands of fancy sounding high school leadership positions in any given year; slapping those titles onto a college application isn’t going to move the needle much unless you actually achieved something in your activities.

Making the most of the honors and activities sections

Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief August 2, 2021

Like with GPA, we usually put academic honors and extracurricular activities in the list of things that are largely set in stone* by the fall of your senior year. But you still need to actually tell colleges...

How would you describe your book in one word? 
“I would describe [“Rebuilding Atlantis”] as adventurous because so much happens in the main character’s life over the course of the book,” senior Maddie Mertz said.

Maddie Mertz

Madi Michajliczenko, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief May 28, 2021

With mermaids, evil fairies and fallen kingdoms, “Rebuilding Atlantis” is a magical fantasy story following main character Ariana through her discovery of another world. “Rebuilding Atlantis” written...

How would you describe your book in one word?

“I would describe my poetry book as emotional or reminiscent because [writing it] was really nostalgic for me. It encapsulates my entire life as a musician so it definitely had a lot of value to me when writing it,” senior AJ Hall said.

AJ Hall

Madi Michajliczenko, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief May 28, 2021

Senior AJ Hall’s passion for music started when he was five years old and began playing piano. This inspiration transferred to his book “All the Music I Own,” which was inspired by his musical and...

How would you describe your book in one word? 
”Vivid. I believe my book allows the reader to visually see what is happening. I love details, I love being able to paint a picture with my writing and even while reading other books, it's just the best thing a piece of writing can do for a reader. It makes it more enjoyable and even makes the reader hold a connection with whatever it is they are reading,” senior Bri Davis said.

Bri Davis

Madi Michajliczenko, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief May 28, 2021

After initial struggles coming up with story ideas, senior Bri Davis decided she was going to write a short story about maintaining your self-identity. “Fields of Time” follows the story of a little...

How would you describe your book in one word?
 “I would describe my book as gentle. I know that a lot of people like to write about really dark topics, but after doing some of that for other projects, it kind of wore me out. This book is like the antithesis to that, and I hope that it would leave the reader feeling a little better about the world,” senior Eva Phillips said.

Eva Phillips

Madi Michajliczenko, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief May 28, 2021

While some students believe that Creative Writing consists exclusively of writing, as the name suggests, “Realm of Possibility” challenges this thought. Written and illustrated by senior Eva Phillips,...

Senior Martha Wait poses next to her AP art board.

Martha Wait

Madi Michajliczenko, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief May 27, 2021

Cadet teaching for art teacher Katy Mangrich’s Digital Design I class, senior Martha Wait answers students’ questions, works on homework and frames students’ artwork. After taking Mangrich’s AP...

Junior Graci Badami completes a lab in Chemistry alongside science teacher Allison Privitt.

Graci Badami

Madi Michajliczenko, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief May 27, 2021

After realizing she had a study hall she didn’t need, junior Graci Badami wanted to find another way to spend her hour. Her choice: expanding her love for science by cadet teaching for science teachers...

Senior Tengis Kelly works on coding a project while cadet teaching.

Tengis Kelley

Madi Michajliczenko, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief May 27, 2021

Following a fluke scheduling error in his fourth-quarter classes, senior Tengis Kelley found himself with a free period. Rather than taking the class just as a study hall, Kelley decided to cadet teach...